North Korea launches short-range missiles 'in military drill'

This photo from March 20 shows a self-propelled surface-to-air missile during a military drill in North Korea.

AFP Photo: Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)

North Korea has fired three short-range guided missiles into the sea off its east coast in an apparent test launch.

The launches are believed to be a response to the latest South Korean and US military drills in the region.

South Korea's defence ministry says the North fired the missiles into the Sea of Japan, known in Korea as the East Sea.

The ministry says they were short-range anti-ship guided missiles and were apparently fired as part of a military drill.

The launches follow a joint US-South Korean naval exercise earlier this week, which Pyongyang denounced as a rehearsal for war.

"A more detailed analysis will be needed but the missiles launched may be a modified anti-ship missile or the KN-02 surface-to-surface missile derived from the Soviet era SS-21 that has a range of about 120 kilometres," a Seoul official told the South's Yonhap news agency.

The United States urged the North to exercise restraint, without specifically commenting on the launches.

"We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula. As is standard practice, we do not comment on intelligence matters," said State Department spokesman Darby Holladay.

"We continue to urge North Korea to exercise restraint and take steps to improve its relations with its neighbours."

Tension on the Korean peninsula has subsided in the past weeks after running high last month.

The North had for weeks issued nearly daily warnings of impending nuclear war with the South and the United States.

But earlier this month US officials said the North had moved two long-range missiles from a launch site, signalling a lowering of tensions on the troubled peninsula.

Fearing Pyongyang would carry out its threat to launch the missiles, Japan and South Korea had bolstered their missile defences.

But US officials said two Musudan missiles - which have a range of up to 5,630 kilometres - were taken off the launch pad and moved to what they called a non-operational site.

North Korea conducts regular launches of its Scud short-range missiles, which can hit targets in South Korea.